Newsweek Gets Flak for Michele Bachmann's 'Wild-Eyed' Cover Photo

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Newsweek has sparked some backlash after revealing the "wild-eyed" photo editors splashed on the cover of its newest issue for its feature story on Republican presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann.

With terms like "crazy eyes" and "sexist" being used to describe the photo featured on the Washington, D.C.-based news magazine's cover, critics are wondering how Newsweek's editors could be so oblivious in their poor choice of such an image.

In the photo, which Newsweek posted on Twitter Sunday with the hashtag "#queenofrage," Rep. Bachmann is seen staring wide-eyed directly at the camera. The photo is set against a plain blue backdrop with the headline "The Queen of Rage" running across the image.

"It seems as though Newsweek has a double standard in effect for conservatives, women, and especially conservative women," blogger Ed Morrissey wrote in an online article. He also chided Newsweek for keeping it "classy" with its choice of Twitter hashtag.

Political pundit Michelle Maulkin also sounded off Monday on her website, writing, "You’ve resorted to recycling bottom-of-the-barrel moonbat photo cliches about conservative female public figures and their enraged 'crazy eyes?' Really?"

When asked for a reaction to the Newsweek cover photo, Bachman's camp refused to respond, according to Yahoo News.

Slate reports that Bachmann was asked about the photo by a voter during a campaign event in Iowa Monday. The Minnesotta congresswoman said she had not seen it. Upon hearing the voter describe the cover image, Bachman reportedly responded, "Ah-hah. Well, we'll have to take a look at that, won't we?"

Newsweek has been criticized before for its cover photo of Mitt Romney, whose image was edited to make the former Massachusetts governor and presidential candidate appear as if he was cast in the Broadway play "The Book of Mormon."

Sarah Palin's photo also stirred controversy when the former Alaska governor appeared on a Newsweek cover wearing bike shorts.

The photo of Bachmann was shot in Washington by photographer Chris Buck. The cover story is by Lois Romano.